Use of positioning satellites would provide most precise way of monitoring congestion charges

EU directive sets restrictions on method of administering road tolls and user charges

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While Helsinki discusses having discussions about the introduction of congestion charges for traffic entering the capital, the various congestion charge systems and the possible consequences of the imposed payments have hardly been looked into in Finland. This is because the subject is a political hot potato in these parts.
      Helsinki’s largest political grouping, the moderate conservative National Coalition Party, has for one vehemently opposed any such charges.
     
"Even attempts to look into the introduction of congestion charges have been hampered", says Paavo Moilanen of traffic research and planning firm Strafica Oy. Moilanen took part in putting together the preliminary report on road use charges published by the Ministry of Transport and Communications last year.
      At present, it is not known for instance what kind of changes in law the congestion charge would call for, where the collected payments should go, or how the related data security matters would be addressed.
     
Worldwide, there are several city-specific congestion charge schemes in use.
      In practice, the implementation of a congestion charge in the Greater Helsinki Area boils down to three alternative monitoring methods: a declaration procedure, microwave technology, or a positioning satellite system.
      The choice of method is limited by the EU compatibility directive on electronic road tolls and user charges.
     
According to the EU regulations, the method has to be based on the global positioning satellite (GPS), the GSM/GPRS mobile device, or short-range 5.8 GHz microwave technology.
      Outside the directive are the non-electronic set-ups, such as the camera surveillance system used in the Swedish capital Stockholm.
      The present congestion charge and road toll systems are based on microwave technology or informing in advance, double-checked by camera surveillance.
      The systems based on positioning satellites are considered the most promising because of their versatility. Such technologies, however, are not expected to become common until the next decade.
     
The preliminary report commissioned by the Ministry of Transport and Communications considers the effects of a capital area congestion charge of one euro per journey.
      Traffic jams would be reduced to a third from the present, while average speeds would rise by 5-7 km/h. The carbon dioxide emissions, in turn, would be reduced by 6-8 percent.
      These figures are more or less the same, regardless of the method of payment surveillance.
     
The Helsinki congestion charge area would be similar in size to that of Stockholm.
      In Stockholm, around 80 million congestion charge payments are made in a year.
      The Finnish capital area is expected to reach such a figure in the next decade, provided that the traffic volume keeps growing at its present rate.
      The Stockholm system came with a EUR 210 million price tag. Its yearly running costs are in the region of EUR 20 million.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  City Council votes to look into introduction of congestion charges (31.1.2008)
  Helsinki to study introduction of congestion charge (25.1.2008)

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